Winter In Summer

CHAPTER 4

"You're trespassing, Ms. Naphine", sabi niya.

"Mas trespassing naman ata iyang ugali mo noh? Maiintindihan ko sana pag magnanakaw iyon pero hindi eh lolo mo pala! Hindi mo ba alam na binisita ka niya lang? Wala ka bang respeto na natitira sa katawan mo? Never use violence just for your anger! Kita mo yon? Naramdaman ko yung impact ng pagkatulak mo", sigaw ko sa mukha niya.

"As far as I know, we just met hours ago. Never judge on what you see first because it's your fucking pity or value. Don't mess with someone's business.", malamig niyang sabi sa akin.

"Get out."

Napaawang ako sa sinabi. Oo nga naman, bakit ba ako nakikialam? Sa halong hiya at inis kasi may point siya, inirapan ko nalang siya. Pagkapihit ko sa pintuan niya.

"Please", he was pleading.

Nasa labas na ako ng condo niya. Bago ko I-close ang kanyang pintuan. There he was standing within the dim lights with his icy eyes. It's like he's all alone in everything.

Nawalan ako ng gana bumili ng groceries kaya umupo nalang ako sa kama ko. I was thinking of Mr. Velarde. Why was he pleading? First day palang namin parang ang daming nangyari. Natulugan ako kakaisip.

Nagising ako sa nakakairitang ringtone ng phone ko. "Scarlet on the phone", I answered the call.

"Ma'am, papasok po ba kayo?-- Sino yan Rain? Si Scarlet?", I heard Missy's phone on the other line.

"Girl! Are you okay? This is the first time na nalate ka.", Missy said worriedly.

"I'm fine, medj napuyatan lang. Please handle them for awhile. I'll be there at 30 mins.", I said.

Mabilisang paghahanda lang ang aking ginawa. Pagkalabas ko sa condo Nakita ko si Mr. Velarde, mukhang papunta rin sa trabaho. Pinalibutan nanaman ako ng lamig.

Pagkabukas ng elevator, papuno na rush hours kasi. So no choice magkatabi kami ni Mr.Velarde. Feel ko tuloy nararamdaman rin ng ibang tao yung awkward atmosphere dito. Nagkadikit ang balat namin. Ang lamig talaga ng kanya, ang bango niya! Then suddenly my stomach burst a sound. Fuck! I stand still para hindi halata na ako yon. Anak ba ako ng kahihiyan? Nakakahiya sa katabi ko!! Hindi niya naman siguro narinig noh?

Dali dali akong lumabas sa elevator na iyon. Grabe wala na bang tatalo sa araw ko ngayon?

Pag dating ko sa companya dumiretsyo ako sa office. Sinalubong ako ni Missy, "Gosh! Are you really ok? You look off. Di ka kumain noh?".

Naalala ko ulit yung elevator scene. Nakakahiya. Doon ko napansin di nga pala ako kumain ng dinner last night and breakfast this morning. Binatukan ako ni Missy.

"Dapat di ka nalang pumasok, you don't look okay. Rain, orderan mo ng heavy meal tong boss mo", pag uutos ni Missy kay Rain.

"I'm fine", I said.

Umalis na si Missy pagkatapos niya akong makitang kumain. It's like her job to check on me everydady if I'm okay. She's like my boyfriend. She's the best then.

Pagkatapos kong I-finalize mga reports this week and next coming events, I just have some leisure time on my social medias. Out of boredom stinalk ko si Mr.Velarde.

Zimram Shuah that was his username. He's really successful despite of the attitude. Here goes my judgemental instinct again. I stared at his profile picture. Hanggang dito ramdam ko ang lamig sa kanyang mata.

"Ma'am Naphine, here are the reports from the meeting last week",sabi ni Rain.

Sa pagkagulat ko inexit ko kaagad ang aking media. Gosh baka sabihin niya mukha akong teenager na stalker.

I reviewed the reports very well. Looks like I'm going to have competitors. They are interested at Jacks Tower. Napailing nalang ako sa nakikita ko. Papunta pa lang kayo, pabalik na ako. I also reviewed the stocks and sales baka may pandaraya. I also checked at Missy's company. We always do this. We don't trust other companies. We are like dependent sa isa't isa lang that's why I called her my other half.

It's already night time so I decided to take an out. "Just call me if there's any problem, I'm going", I said at Rain. Mostly she is the last person to take an out.

Nasa building na ako ng aking condo. Naalala ko nanaman yung elevator scene. Boomerang talaga utak ko eh. Pagpunta ko sa condo ko, may grocery sa harapan ko. I was wandering kanino toh. Lumabas si Mr. Velarde sa kanyang condo and he saw me.

"I bought it for you", nagulat ako sa sinabi niya.

"Ha?", he just look into my eyes at mukhang aalis siya. "Wait! Bakit mo ko binilhan? Peace offering ba toh? I'll pay it nalang", I said.

"No need.", mukhang aalis nanamn siya. "San ka pupunta?", tanong ko nalang sa kanya.

"I'm going to take a walk", sa gantong oras? "Wait for me. I'll accompany you kung ayaw mong bayaran kita", sabi ko nalang at pumasok sa condo para mag palit.

I changed at my comfy clothes. Hoodie and track pants. I was shocked na hinintay niya talaga ako. "Tara?", I said at him. He just nodded.

Nauna ako sa pagkakalakad. I can feel his cold stares at my back. Kahit nakahoodie ako tumataaas balahibo ko. "Stop staring at me, it's creepy", I stopped walking when I was saying that.

Nagkibit balikat siya sa akin, "Then walk beside me", he said.

Nahihiya pa akong tumabi sa kanya. I make it sure na may distance parin sa gitna naming. It's really awkward. "I really don't know bat mo ko binilhan", sabi ko nalang as a topic.

"I heard your stomach awhile ago.", shet! sabi na nga eh.

"You don't need to make effort, thanks by the way", sabi ko nalang.

"I know I just wanna clear my name for what happened yesterday", he said.

Dapat nga ako ang gumagawa niyan kasi at first place ako unang nagkasala. Sinukaan ko siya, jinudge, binash, sinigawa at trinespass. Ang galing ko talaga.

"Isn't it other way around?"

"It depends on you how you describe the situation", sabi niya.

Nagpout nalang ako sa sinabi niya. Nakarating na kami sa 7 11. Bago kami pumasok.

"Why won't we forget nalang yung mga nangyari? To clear my name also. Let's remake our first meet", I said excitedly. He was just looking at me. "Okay", he said coldly.

Asa loob na ako ng 7 11 while he was outside. I was just seating there eating there a cookies. "Are you alone", napatingin ako sa kumausap sa akin.

I just nodded. We we're just staring at each other. "I'm Zimram, by the way", he said. "I don't talk to strangers", natatawa kong sabi sa kanya.

"Tss then let's get back at the Mr. Velarde", he said. Ito naman walang humor sa katawan.

"Joke lang naman. Scarlet Rose", proud kong sabi.

"I thought it's 'Hottie'", sabi niya habang nakasmirk. Doon ko napansin yung feature niya habang naka smile. Mas pumogi siya pero mas type ko ang kanyang serious face.

"Hottie my ass. Manyaking Adonis", sabi ko naman sa kanya. I just laughed on what I said.

Mas lalong lumawak ngiti niya. "You're really amusing, Rose."

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-WINTER IN SUMMER-